Ramna Kali Mandir

The Ramna Kali Mandir was destroyed by the Pakistan Army in March 1971.The destruction of this temple was, ironically, a sign of the advent of tougher times for Hindus of Bangladesh. Hundreds of people who had taken shelter inside the temple were slaughtered as were hundreds of thousands of others throughout the country. Swami Paramananda Giriji, the priest, held on to the deity and prayed till the very end when he was burned alive by Pakistani forces.

The destruction of the temple and the accompanying slaughter is not just another dark blot on history; it is the symbol of cruelty and tyranny almost unparalleled in history. The iconic images of Sheikh Mujib addressing massive crowds in the 7th March 1971 rally prominently show the Ramna Kali Mandir in the background. The picture indeed promised a secular, free Bangladesh. Alas, it was not to be. The minorities of Bangladesh have been victimized throughout post independence history.

The Ramna Kali Mandir must be rebuilt at the same spot where it originally stood. Bangladesh governments in the recent past have promised to rebuild the temple but not at the original site. The temple must be rebuilt at the original site. This cannot be compromised.

The Hindu community must come together with renewed zeal to pursue the construction of the great temple. The demand for construction of the temple at it’s original site can become a national movement. The success of the Ramna Kali Mahamandir movement can well be symbolic of the Hindus of Bangladesh. With the successful construction of the temple, the Hindu community of Bangladesh will no doubt be filled with renewed zeal and unity to find their right, respectful place in Bangladeshi society.

The temple must be, as proposed, accompanied with a memorial; a reminder to our future generations. The temple must be of a scale no less than it’s original form. Let this temple be the pivot of the Hindu movement in Bangladesh.

Update: Feb 01, 2010

Correction from Ratib: Bangabandhu removed the LAST stones of the temple, NOT the Pak Army, but BANGABANDHU removed the last stones, laid grass on the land, confiscated it from the Hindu Board, and gave it to The Dhaka Club

Tags: destruction, fascism, hindu, mandir, muslim

Surviving Members of Laili Costa's Family

Laili Costa, a young Catholic woman, living in the Catholic parish of the Holy Rosary church under the Archdiocese of Dhaka, became destitute when her husband Joacem Costa was shot dead by unidentified thugs in the Sadhon Para area of Dhaka.

Laili Costa said, “My husband left me and my two daughters. What he earned hardly supported our family, and he did not leave any savings. The owner of our previous home had already kicked us out from there, and we had just found a second home. The owner there is going to kick us out within days. I will not be able to have Christmas with my children.”

She went on, “I am striving daily for my small children. My elder daughter was kicked out of school, since I cannot pay the tuition fees, and my younger daughter is suffering from serious malnutrition; she could die at any time.”

With extreme fear and tears in her eyes, Laili Costa said, “On July 14, 2009, around 9:35, I got a call from one of my neighbors that my husband was shot by thugs in the Sadhon Para area. I immediately called my husband’s younger brother, Leo Costa, and rushed to the place. As I reached the place, I did not find my husband. He had been taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.” Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: catholic, extremism, fascism, widown

Hindu Women Raped

The plight of the Hindu community of Bangladesh is disturbing. Regularly, one hears about attacks on Hindus and atrocities on women and children of Hindus. Temples and Hindu establishments also routinely face the brunt of extremists in Bangladesh. The role of the Bangladesh government has always been fishy. BNP or Awami League, it doesn’t really make much of a difference. The Hindu community of Bangladesh are apparently forced to live as second class citizens.

What is the reason for this? The rise of Islamic extremism has obviously led to the present scenario. But who are responsible for the rise of hardline islamics? The answer is—successive Bangladesh governments. They have forgotten the pillars on which the Bangla nation was formed. The ideology of those very extremists who supported Pakistan during the ’71 Liberation war is prospering. The secular, progressive credentials of Bangladesh have been long consigned to the dustbin of history. Politically, the situation is bound to worsen. Let Hindus not have any hope from the government.

Then what is the solution? Apparently, Hindus in Bangladesh face a problem; a problem of survival and life of safety, respect and dignity; and this problem needs a solution. The solution; or at least a step towards the solution; would be—Political empowerment.

The Hindus must aim to become a political force in the country. They must be united in quest of this goal. The community must vote for a consensus candidate and when Hindus are attacked or threatened, the community must hit the streets together. The Hindus must have no hesitation in becoming a “vote bank”. The Hindus must, as a primary goal, seek to make themselves relevant to the extent that they can influence 50-60 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad. Then and only then will their voice be heard loud and clear. And in these attempts, the Hindus must bring with them the other minorities of Bangladesh.

The future of Hindus is in the hands of the Hindus. Let us ensure that we decide our fate, not others.

Tags: extremism, fascism, hindu, islamic, rights, terrorism

Yoga: For a Stable Mind & Body

British actress Anastasia Griffith (Solitary Man), 31, who is a big fan of yoga and does meditation also, thinks “yoga can help really to keep you centered, keep you grounded, keep you focused”.

Brazilian actress Morena Baccarin (Way Off Broadway), 30, reportedly said: “I like Jivamukti yoga, which is really hard and acrobatic, but there’s a lot of meditation too, which is nice.”

MTV Award winner American model-actress-singer Carmen Electra (Starsky & Hutch), 37, was reportedly spotted doing yoga moves while holidaying in Greece.

BAFTA winner actress Thandie Newton (Crash), 37, reportedly considers herself “yoga freak”. Cesar Award winner French actress-singer Vanessa Paradis (La fille sur le pont), 36, and actress Rebecca Gayheart (Bunny Whipped), 38, also practice yoga.

But acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed argues that ‘yoga’ has come to only mean in the entertainment world as ‘modern postural yoga’, while it actually is a mental and physical discipline by means of which the human-soul (jivatman) unites with universal-soul (parmatman). Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: body, hindu, rajan, west, yoga, zed

Bangladesh has been dropped out from United States’ HR list of the Human Rights list meaning that the US government is happy with the situation of human rights in Bangladesh over minorities, women and any that follow. It was said that because of the current Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, this was archived. The ambassador said, “The United States excluded the name of Bangladesh from its watch list on November 3 following the improvement of situation in various human rights fields.” They also mentioned that during the BNP-Jamaat government, this was not possible, and empowerment and development of women was another achievement for the Bangladeshis.

Source: The Daily Star

Tags: hasina, Human rights, prime minister, united states

Freedom of Religion

A Malaysian Muslim woman, named S. Banggarma (27), who was converted to Islam at the age of 7 is fighting to be recognized as a Hindu. She claims that although she was given a Muslim name, she led her life as a Hindu. She told AFP, “I have always stuck to my Hindu roots and practised all the traditions,’ she told AFP. “I was born as a Hindu, I have lived as a Hindu and I will die as a Hindu.”

This is a very problematic matter in Malaysia. The vicious anti-conversion laws make it almost impossible for Muslims to convert to other faith. We sincerely hope the Malaysian authority let this woman practice Hinduism and to be recognized as a Hindu.

Islamic extremism is rising in Malaysia. There has been instances such as banning yoga for Muslims. This is an ongoing struggle that the Muslim countries all over the world is facing. The minorities and liberals are being subjugated and persecuted. We will be following this news and update accordingly.

Source:  Dawn

Tags: convert, hindu, malaysia, rights

We are looking for new writers to contribute to this site. If you have some views regarding world or Bangladeshi politics relating to the Hindus please do become one of our contributors. Together we can create a community to spread news and views quickly among various medium. Please drop an email at bangladeshihindu@gmail.com and we will get you started.

Hare Krishna!

Tags: adminstration, post

Hindus and Jews have strongly urged newly elected mayor of Sofia (Bulgaria) Yordanka Fandakova to improve the plight of Roma people residing in Sofia, who were reportedly facing apartheid like conditions.

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman; and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a joint statement in Nevada today, said that mayor Fandakova should make Roma upliftment her first priority as their maltreatment was a dark stain on the face of Sofia and Bulgaria.

Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, and Rabbi Freirich stressed that it was simply immoral to continue staying apathetic and silent spectator ignoring Roma plight, who reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, etc.

Commissioner for Human Rights of Council of Europe Thomas Hammarberg, who recently concluded a three-day visit to Sofia, visited a Roma settlement in the Republika district of Sofia where he assessed the living conditions as inhumane. “No one should live in these conditions in today’s Europe” he declared.

Capital and largest city of Bulgaria, Sofia is the second oldest city in Europe whose roots can be traced back to about 7000 years. Lonely Planet has described Sofia as “city waking up after decades of slumber”.

Tags: Hinduism, human, jews, plight, Religion, rights

The Conservative prime minister of Canada has taken the initiative to reach out to the world Hindus. In India, he has taken commendable steps to create a bridge between Canada and the Hindu population. We strongly welcome and encourage the work of the Conservative government of Canada as well as the Prime Minister.

New Delhi, India (AHN) – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper ended his three-day visit to India on Wednesday by praying for world peace at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and the BAPS Swaminarayam Akshardham Temple.

It is the world’s largest Hindu temple in New Delhi. Amritsar in northern India is considered the spiritual center of Indian Sikhs.

The prime minister, in his farewell speech, said he came to India extending a hand of friendship and with the aim of starting an era of stronger relations between Ottawa and New Delhi.

Harper said, “We have a solid foundation to build upon. The bonds between Canada and India are strong and plentiful. We are both democratic federal states that have forged cohesive societies out of ethnically, spiritually and linguistically diverse populations. And we are both nations whose aspirations are being realized through the ingenuity and the resiliency of our people.”

He said among the steps taken by Canada and India to reach their common goals are the signing of two agreements made during his visit. The deal involves the establishment of a possible free trade agreement and cooperation on energy.

Source: AllHeadlineNews

Tags: canada, conservative, hindu, temple

By Jahangir Alam Akash, In Bangladesh, the brutal persecution of the Hindu, Christian religious minority and indigenous ethnic minorities is going ahead with full steam. Until now, the persecution that both communities faced never saw the light of justice. A culture of the denial of justice in Bangladesh is the root of all the persecution against the ethnic and religious minorities, which isn’t only affecting a part of the country, but is plaguing the entire criminal justice system in Bangladesh.

General Zia and his predecessors introduced persecution against the minorities in Bangladesh. Bangladesh became Islamized under the military regime, rather than being a true parliamentary democracy. Bangladesh was not born with the blessing of being united beyond ethnic and religious differences, but rather has been Islamized, yet with a secular policy.

Religious minority oppression is a common phenomenon in Bangladesh. Every day, minority oppression is growing at an alarming rate. Yet our government is not doing its duty to safeguard the minority groups. Why aren’t they doing something to stop minority torture? We don’t know. But we have been seeing that most of the perpetrators are linked with the ruling party. People think that the present government may be turning a blind eye at minority issues. We want to say clearly that the people do not want to see the issue ignored, but rather, that they want to see peace and happiness. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Bangladesh, extremism, hindu, islamism, rights, terrorism

A Hindu family was attacked by allegedly government party workers. They abducted 9 people from the family and left them with chaos. The father is living a very fearful life concerning the safety of his two daughters.

Although the police initially rejected to assist the Hindu family later they caved in due to media pressure. They arrested four people behind this attack. While asked the police commissioner he declined to comment on this issue.

Our human rights worker in Bangladesh, William Gomes was on the scene taking a series of footage of this developing story. We were able to get a word from the State Minister, police commissioner and the family.

State Minister of Bangladesh on Minority persecution

The Hindu minority in Bangladesh describing the forceful abduction story

Police commissioner Dhaka

Tags: Bangladesh, extremism, fascism, hindu, islamism, muslim, terrorism

Honorable Prime Minister and daughter of Bangabondhu Sheikh Hasina, please have look your eyes to minority community. We ask you as a citizen of Bangladesh you have don’t seen anything what happening in Bangladesh? But, why, every day the newspapers have been published much news about minority torture. You have many hands as a Prime Minister, so why don’t take action against minority perpetrators? Still have much time with your hands. So, please safe our minority peoples and their wealth.

Adv.Rabindra GhoshPresident-Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) was sent news which was published in the daily Sangbad. We have known that, Sangbad is an oldest newspaper in Bangladesh. And they have goodwill as a responsible journalism.
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: fascism, hindu, minority, oppression, Politics, Religion

A new report has come up in Dr. Richard Benkin’s blog about forcefully confirming a woman to Islam. This case was reported by Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christan Unity Council and Global Human Rights Defense and the Bangladesh Minority Watch has investigated on the issue. It is reported that Koli Goswami, a 20 year old college student’s house was broken to get at least 5 Muslim and a government official broke into her house at 12:45 AM on June 13, 2008. They violated through the house to her and even through the girl tried to aleart the nearby neighbors about it by screaming aloud, the gang members fired their guns to keep them out of the way.

In this gang, Tauhidul Islam Bhuiya (Sumon) is in murder charges and even though he is supposed to in trials, he remains free. When police came, they said: “It is not kidnapping. It is love affairs between kidnapper and victim” and to many this does not seem like a love affair. The police do not want to keep in the flow with this case and evne though they have looked upon the case in video, the physical harm done to the house, the cry from the girl’s uncle, and the request from the family to help them get Koli back.

This still stays the same, Richard Benkin said in his blog, that the victims are commonly the young girls, women, and sometimes bodys. The government official that was in the issue suggested that the govenment is supporting these types of kidnapping and harrasing, converting a human to take against their will. What the Muslims have to understand is that even though they might think that forcing someone to go against their own will might make their religion more powerful, well, that might now become the case. They have to userstand that if they do not show the good path, one day the ones that were Muslim due to their ancestors for a long time will quit Islam and say that it is a forceful religion. If this continues, then one day the religion that was built forcefully will be closed down with no power from the physical strength but the mental.

Richard Benkin’s Blog

From Chotto Mind’s Blog

Tags: attack, Bangladesh, extremism, minority, rights, torture, violence, women

Twenty minority Hindu families of Kajir Hat and Keramotia village of Chordorbesh union of Sonagaji sub district in southern Bangladesh by local Muslim extortionist.

Local Muslim extortionist Jafar ,Yunus ,Saiful ,Ripon and others demand regular extortion from local minority hindhu families of Kajir Hat and Keramotia village,when the minorities refused to give extortion money the extortionists start persecuting the minorities Said Nitia Das of Kalibari village

The extortionists sized 45 thousand taka from Nitia Das of Kalibari village, when the other hindhu minorities of the village refused to give extortion money the extortionists abducted a minority Hindu girl and later paying Fifteen thousand taka extortion money said Nitia Das of Kalibari village

Boloram Das a local minority Hindu said the extortionists forcefully abducted a young girl of our family, later we have paid twenty five thousand taka extortion money and they released the girl.

Boloram Das said the extortionist Yunus is now threatening to marry a minor Hindu girl forcefully.

Boloram Das said we have consulted with the local people to help us and to police but no one is helping us.

Boloram Das added that at least twenty minority Hindu families of our locality can not go back home for these extortionists.

Human rights activist Dipal Barua said the attacks on minorities are growing notably. We highly condemn these attacks on minorities and we demand to the government to take proper actions against extortionists as soon as possible.

Tags: attacked, Bangladesh, hindu, muslim, terrorism

The minority Hindus of Bangladesh are looking back at the Awami League again to seek for their freedom that they had once lost when the BNP government came up. But still, we have not seen what we thought would watch when after the long term of the interim government and their dominance. We thought that we would watch all the Hindus free from the grip that had held them so sceard for all these time but still it doesn’t seem to come out of it.

In Ittefaq, a report came up with an incident on the first of August, 2009 (click here to read it from Ittefaq’s site). Bangladeshi newspaper called Shomokal, Sangbad, Daily Nayadiganta, Daily Jugantar, Daily Janakantha are still publishing stories with incidents that are happening till this day in the lives of those Hindus. But AL till now has not shown any improvement among the citizens of Bangladesh. In PresecutionBD.com, a site fully dedicated to those Hindus and minorities that are suffering the pain, it bought up a news that we see in the Hindus of Narshindi. The Hindus of Narshindi are still looking for justice on the July 25th incident that happened this year after the Awami League government was selected. After reading about it in PresecutionBD, I went to a site that preserves these reports that happened against the Hindus.

Translated from the report: “Just to get control of Hindu’s cemetry area in Narshindi Palash, 4 minority houses were treated savagely. They broke down the houses, robbed from them that they saw were valuable. In their attack, including woman 5 were injured. The villagers have said that Jainal was the leader of this gang and they broke down the cemetry area then threw them down to the river where the current picked it all up.”

Now here comes the government at this and how this crime is investigated: “The police have arrested a girl names Swathi (I just want to say, how can a girl do this?) Now the loot that happened at the scene was nothing small but it was big with the amount of money that they stole, gold that they found and they also looted cellphones that were making the price go up to one lakh takas.

Yes, I can agree that it is not the Awami League government that is doing all these but they could at least investigate upon this. This is the minorities that always give them the vote and no one else but still why are these minorities getting so much less notice? Aren’t these minorities humans? It might sould as if it is only us that are yelling, well in Bangladesh what other minorities are going on? For example will the poor are being treated badly but they are not being treated badly because of who they are but what they have. If we treat human beings because of their beliefs, then I just want to ask to those that are being racist “Where is the World standing at this stage today?”

Posted From Chotto Mind’s Blog

Tags: Bangladesh, Ittefaq, Janakantha, Newspaper

Oppression of Minorities in Bangladesh

Minority repression and extra judicial killings has not stop in Bangladesh. Minority repression is a common feature in Bangladesh. Almost every day here happening minority torture. Ms.Radha Rani Halder (28) in Shoriotpur was gang raped recently. We knew our great patriotic journalist Manik Saha was killed by bomb attacked in 2004. Another honest journalist Diponker Chakraborty from Bogura was killed by terrorists. From Faridpur promising journalist Goutam Saha was killed. Principle Gopal Krishna Muhury was killed by gun shoot. As a Bangalee peoples everybody knows Purnima gang raped of in Sirajgonj. And it was the preplanned incidents. No actual investigation has happed and still not give punish to perpetrators of at least 15 indigenous community leader including Alfred Soren, Choles Richil murderer. (See:http://www.humanrightstoday.info/?p=865).

We know in Bangladesh has no actual democracy, rule of law, education. Most of the peoples are living very poor situation. Gross problem is that, constitutionally Islam is the only one religion. But, in Bangladesh have living Muslim, Hindus, Christians and Buddhist. Though, we had got secular constitution after independence led by father of the nation Bongobondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. After the killings of Bongobondhu, General Zia and General Ershad were broken the main constitution.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Bangladesh, minority, oppression, Religion

Hindu Woman Raped & Killed in Bangladesh

Radha Rani Halder, a newly married Hindu woman of the Shariatpur District under Dhaka Division in central Bangladesh, was raped and killed by a group of Muslim miscreants on June 27, 2009.

Ms. Halder worked for the local NGO, the Shariatpur Development Society (SDS).

Mr. Dipankar Bairagee, husband of the slain woman, said that, at about 11 a.m. on June 27, Ms. Halder went for loan collection, as part of her work with the NGO, to the house of local village leader, Mr. Halim Matubbar, in South Goaldia village.

But when she did not return until afternoon, her co-workers started searching for her as she didn’t return on time to the office with the money, and that her mobile was not responding, said Mr. Quamrul Hasan(Badal), the Sector Chief of SDS.

“Finally after frantic search until on late at night, we discovered the unclothed dead-body of Ms. Halder with her throat half-slit near Hajeer Pukur of Palong Upazila in Shariatpur”, said Sector Chief Hasan.

Mr. Bairagee, the devastated husband of the deceased, said, “We got married about 2 months ago. She took up the job to relieve the family of its hardships, but got killed in this brutal way”.

“We have filed a case with the police, but they failed to arrest any of the perpetrators”, said he.

“Local Muslim Mohammed Kalam, Borhan and Motaleb killed my wife after raping her; and they also snatched an amount of Tk 43,996.00, as well as a golden chain and earring from my wife”, added Mr. Bairagee.

Shariatpur police chief said, “The case is under investigation; we are doing our best; and we have arrested one of the suspect”.

Annie Halder, a Catholic human rights activist, expressed anxiety over growing attacks on the minorities in Bangladesh.

“We demand proper investigation of this case and due justice to theperpetrators”, said she.

Tags: Bangladesh, extremist, hindu, muslim, raped, woman

On July 25th local Muslims attacked on a four Hindu minority houses and ransacked the local temple at Narsangdi in Bangladesh.

On Saturday late night at Charsindhu village of Polash union a group of armed Muslims attacked on a local Hindhu temple and near by four Hindu houses said a victim Onjoli Bormon

Minority Hindu victim victim Onjoli Bormon said a group of armed Muslims lead by Joinal came and attacked on our temple as we run to save the temple and the perpetrators attack on us and in our houses

In attack Mr.Dirandra chondro Bormaon ,Ms.Onjoli Bormon ,Ms.Nioti Bormon,Mr.Hironi Bormon and Sunil Bormon were seriously injured.

Some of them get admitted in local hospital said Minority Hindu victim Onjoli Bormon

Locals said to grave the land of Hindu crematorium (where Hindu people get burned) yard the local Muslims attacked on them

Catholic human rights activist Annie Halder said attacks on different Hindu minorities are raising all over the country this is really alarming. We highly condemn attack on these minority Hindu families.

Local police said we are doing our best to trace the people behind this attack and already we have insure the security of the minorities on that area

Tags: atrocities, Bangladesh, death, fascism, hindu, muslim, temple

Bangladesh has got independence since 1971. After independence the peoples was got good constitution which was made in 1972. But after the killings of the nation Bongobondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman peoples of Bangladesh has lost this constitution. Army men especially General Ziaur Rahman and General HM Ershad were broken our constitution. And then, put Islam in the constitution by arm force. Still we have been carrying the black spot.

In Bangladesh the brutal persecution on the religious Christian minority and ethnic Indigenous are rolling on in a stream roller mode. Until now the persecution that the both community faced never saw that light of justice. The culture of justice denial is the root of all persecution on the ethnic and religious minorities and it’s not the partial but a whole part of criminal justice system in Bangladesh.

The General Zia and his ancestors introduced the persecution on the minorities in Bangladesh. Bangladesh was blessed with the Islamization by the mechanism under military regime in absence of parliamentarian democracy. Bangladesh was not born with blessings to be communal but with a spirit of Islamization but a secular policy. The attack on the religious minority bring with the idea of “Islam in the constitution”.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Bangladesh, human, indigenous, Minority & Indigenous, rights